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Sick of the long commute? Want to spend more time with your family? Working from home sounds like the dream but there are pitfalls. Hacy Tobias, author of The Diaries of a Corporate Princess, shares 5 tips on how to work from home and love it!

Tip 1: Open For Business

Whenever the ‘market’ that you are selling your service or product to is ‘open’, then so should you be. For most, this is between 9:00am and 5:30pm. Work on activities that will give you an income during this time. Your income pays your bills.

Tip 2: Designate Time

Do activities that do not give you income after hours. You can’t make money from creating PowerPoint presentations or doing your filing, as important as it may be.

Tip 3: Laundry Is No Excuse To Procrastinate!

Do not use household tasks, such as laundry, as an excuse to procrastinate! It is very tempting to out on another load of washing to put off the call with the difficult client.

Tip 4: Bunch Your Calls

You will spend less time on each when you have to make a large number back-to-back. Train your friends when to call. Remember, just because you are home doesn’t mean you are not working – it is a home based business.

Tip 5: Have monthly, Weekly and Daily Plans

Do your daily plan the night before and make sure it covers calls and action items as well as your meetings. And have a highlighter pen with you at all times.

For anyone who has ever lost their job, been downsized or simply wants to change their life, the inspiring true-life story, The Diaries of a Corporate Princess, $24.95, is a must-read.

After 33 years in the corporate world and as a global general manager, author Hacy Tobias suddenly finds herself without a job at age 52. Written with a raw honesty and Bridget Jones wit, Hacy details the transition from a high-flying executive and ‘corporate princess’ to becoming her own boss and eventual ‘small business princess’.

Making the difficult switch from a corporation of thousands to an organisation of one, Hacy comes to terms with the loss of her corporate identity and begins a new journey, learning the skills required to start her own business. Hacy is donating 20% of her profits to Lou’s Place, a daytime drop-in centre in the heart of Sydney, Australia. It provides respite and support for women in need, many of who are homeless.